Infama - Oh, indeed I fully realize gps choice quite often will come down to personal choice and what you will and will not tolerate in the look, feel, and operation.

I am just now updating my sister-in-law's TT One XL, which I have never had my hands on before. Look and feel is similar to the 920 I had briefly, but I am disappointed in no TTS. In getting back into using Home app I see that in just a couple months the POI list and voices list has grown quite a bit on the TT web support site. At the time I had the 920 and no Lowe's POIs I was of the mind that at this price, and for a purported to be the "top of the lline" Tom Tom I should not have to go out and search and load in national brand POIs. Especially since they were in my Garmin units. They should have given me a 25-million POI data at that level! :shock: :shock:

A perfect example of personal taste is the maps - while I am not all that happy with the cartoon maps on my nuvi 680 I am less happy with the TT map look. Screen resolution is a low point for me. The street/road lines are jagged.

I don't like that I have no control over map detail, i.e., less detailed, normal, more, most, etc. One other small thing I don't like is the pixelation that happens when you zoom in and out in browse map mode. It's brief, but annoying to me. I, have never seen it in any other gps.

Granted the C320 is not the fastest processor, but in real world use side-by-side with my 680 the routing and processing is, for all intents and purpose, identical. They often even chime in with audio at the same time. Routing is most of the time identical, but that can be a factor of sometimes there is just one way to get from A to B when going cross country and using the interstates and major highways. Locally it will differ at times. Route algorithms just differ.

And one small irritation I had forgotten about with the 920 that is present on the One XL also, is the way TT chooses to list POIs in a simplistic mode of only capitalizing the first letter of any entry. It is just is poor programming to list a POI as 123 main street or Uss arizona memorial, etc.

Glad to find someone of my kind. Just came back from a GPS-rich China trip, I logged GPS data whenever I could, I brough Holux M-241, Gisteq BT, Globalsat 359, Holux Slim236, a PDA phone with GPSTUNER installed.At first, I could not get my loggers fixed when I waited in the window seat for my 747 to take off, very disappointed, then I discovered my very slim 359 receiver can be fitted between the window and window shade, using bluetooth, my GPSTUNER recorded everything!!! did I say this is a GPS-rich trip?

The question may be silly, but: what is the best place in the aircraft to receive GPS waves? Is it a window sit only? And should I keep it next to the window glass to receive some signal? Never used GPS when on board.

I'm not aware of an external antenna to receive a gps signal. The external antennas are to capture RDS traffic signals ... at least in North America (and I'm pretty sure in Europe, too). It's a function of the chipset utilized in the unit that captures the gps signal.

I'm not aware of an external antenna to receive a gps signal. The external antennas are to capture RDS traffic signals ... at least in North America (and I'm pretty sure in Europe, too). It's a function of the chipset utilized in the unit that captures the gps signal.

dhn, there are antennas that improve the GPS signal the unit can receive. You can even buy them straight from Navigon official website shop (as well as from other manufacturers and eBay, too). On the top of my 2110max there is a plug with some covering rubber and "Y" antenna sign on it. As far as I'm concerned usual antenna plugs' name is MCX or MMCX...

Sorry......my error (I make lots of them :oops: ). I use a TomTom which doesn't use such an antenna ....... forgot I was NOT responding in the TomTom forum here........

Anyway, I don't know the rules on European airlines for restrictions of devices. Many NA airlines allow a gps unit to be used above 10,000 feet. But some do not. In any event, I still think having the unit next to the window is your best bet. Once the signal is captured, it may retain the signal while the unit is in your lap.

Actually, many of the TomTom models do offer an external GPS antenna option. :) dhn, don't you have a 720? It has an external antenna option. Look for the small rubber gasket that covers the port on the back of the device, near the screw at the top left.

I have two of them and they work well. You can get them with various cable lengths and I have one that has a 3 foot long cable (very thin) which is good for use on aircraft and also works well on the dashboard of the automobile. Physically small enough to place between the window "glass" and window shade on a plane. I slide it up under the shade and there is plenty of friction to hold it in place. Then I am able to keep the GPS on my lap or tray table.

Physically small enough to place between the window "glass" and window shade on a plane. I slide it up under the shade and there is plenty of friction to hold it in place. Then I am able to keep the GPS on my lap or tray table.

Great! What about other passangers sitting next to you? Didn't they want to look through the window? And what about the crew? Weren't they saying anything when they saw you use the GPS?

Great! What about other passangers sitting next to you? Didn't they want to look through the window? And what about the crew? Weren't they saying anything when they saw you use the GPS?

The window belongs to the person that paid for the seat closest to it. They're in control of the shade and all access to that window. Societal norms generally allow for non-window-owners to "peak" through the window, but only via the grace and good-will of the window owner. Access can be revoked at any time.

I'd like to remind those reading this thread that sticking something wired to an electronic device to an aircraft window might get you some trouble. Most passengers wouldn't know a GPS antenna if it bit them. More than likely some fool will tell the flight attendants you are doing something suspicious. Not worth the risk IMO

Great! What about other passangers sitting next to you? Didn't they want to look through the window?

1. Is HappyFunBoater the only one that knows the unwritten rules? - you become the Master of the window and attached shade by proximity, especially now that some airlines charge more for a window seat. :evil: Additionally my wife is in the seat next to me 99% of the time and she generally has her face buried in a good book.

And what about the crew? Weren't they saying anything when they saw you use the GPS?

2. I only use my GPS and antenna on airlines that approve the devices. In 14 years of using them on planes nobody has complained yet and sometimes a flight attendant will come and ask me "where are we now?" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Just because you think you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't really out to get you!"

I only use my GPS and antenna on airlines that approve the devices. In 14 years of using them on planes nobody has complained yet and sometimes a flight attendant will come and ask me "where are we now?"

I've only been hassled once. It was pre-9/11 when you could still have a debate with a crew member without being tasered at 35,000 feet. The flight attendant argued that since the GPSr was a navigation device then I could potentially hack into the plane's navigation system and gain control. I didn't realize that it was that easy. Duh!

I have a good friend that flew for United for 30 years finishing his career flying 747s to Europe. We have discussed GPS use and as captain/pilot he never had any concern that there were most likely several in use back in the cabin on any given flight . He also said there was probably more than one instance where a passenger with a GPS had a more accurate fix on their position than they did in the cockpit!! Now that was more information that I wanted to know!!!!! :shock: :shock:

Spoke with a US Airways pilot several years ago that admitted he kept his own Garmin GPS up on the "dashboard" on his flights. After a cross-country flight as I was exiting the plane he asked me "How did I do?" I replied, "What would you guys do without the Interstate Highway system?" :lol:

I only use my GPS and antenna on airlines that approve the devices. In 14 years of using them on planes nobody has complained yet and sometimes a flight attendant will come and ask me "where are we now?"

I've only been hassled once. It was pre-9/11 when you could still have a debate with a crew member without being tasered at 35,000 feet. The flight attendant argued that since the GPSr was a navigation device then I could potentially hack into the plane's navigation system and gain control. I didn't realize that it was that easy. Duh!

hahahah thats a good one. Meanwhile while she was harassing you, the guy across the isle from you had his laptop out and was REALLY hacking the plane's systems.

I used a simpler Garmin Legend. It was interesting to see 540PMH on the plane. I knew what scenery I was looking at, and exactly where I was. A window seat was definately necessary. I understood that there might be a problem using one, so, I didn't let the stewardess know that I was using it. I hid it when they walked by... I did not use it during takeoffs and landings. Oh, they usually start decent about 200 miles away, although coming into Vegas once they started decending less than 100 miles away. We ended up taking a 2 motor prop job from Indy to Milwaukee. It went 240MPH as I remember.MarkP

I recently flew to Vegas and I took my nuvi on the flight. I was on southwest and in their list of acceptable electronic devices you will find GPS receivers. So after we reached ten thousand feet, I put the suction cup on my window and mounted the GPS. Our top speed was around 540mph and our altitude was around 32,000ft. It was cool to track our flight path.

I'm a pilot and I like, especially at night, to identify the lit towns and the rotating airport beacons. I've been able to get a good lock in an inboard seat with my Nüvi. As for being allowed to use it, a lot of the times it depends on the mood or lack of information with the flight attendants. I flew from CT to AZ and back last Christmas. Five legs in total with the same airline and was never told to put it away until the final return leg. I did and didn't argue even though GPS was NOT on the list of unapproved electronic devices in their in-flight magazine.

Wow! 4 pages for a 360 turnabout. I am impressed. I read the whole post and felt like I was taking to my ex. As I understand it, most of the airline restrictions deal with devices that produce an RF signal, IE a cell phone(unless on flight mode) and a bluetooth headphone. DVD's, MP3's, laptops and PDA's, can be used with wired headphones.

The next flight I am on, I will have my 880. It would be cool, if I am sitting in a window seat and can get a sat fix to see the towns go by, check altitude and speed and see my destination coming onto the screen. I wouldn't do it the whole flight, just long enough to see if when they announce, "we are currently crusing at 32k ft", the 880 says 32.5k ft.

Touche'. The bluetooth on the 880 must be turned off and if it isn't on the list of airline no no's, it should be OK...unless an attendant says otherwise. Don't want any trouble with an on board air marshall.

I would guess that on any given flight with 200-300 passengers there are most likely more than a couple dozen cell phone in pockets, purses, and carry-on luggage that never got turned off as well as skads of laptops being used where the users don't even know BT and/or WIFI is active on their PC. My MSN Direct watch is an active FM receiver and the airlines either don't know about them or don't feel they are a significant threat. I've never turned my watch off nor have I been asked to do so.

That was my point. All those RF and digital signals bouncing around that flying tin can has not, to my knowledge, ever interfered with the avionics of a commercial plane and caused an incident, i.e. crash. But, as misguided as we think some of the airline restrictions are there is nothing we can do about them except live with them.

And I do know that my Smart Watch is RX only and it does actually get some signals at 35K ft. altitude (as does the FM radio built into my MP3 player.)

Most of the restrictions placed on equipment - specifically RF - able to be used on an airplane are made by the FCC and not the FAA for safety reasons. RF in today's pratical sense is all line of sight, and at 10,000 feet and above your line of sight exceeds 200 miles. Thats alot of interference, from 35,000 feet you can broadcast further than radio mexico.

While I too don't see a "use" for a GPS on a flight, I would imagine it serves the same purpose as a gameboy, possibly a laptop, or even an inflight movie and that is as a distraction during the flight. I think it would be fun to be able to track the flight with a reasonable level of accuracy and not rely on the pilot to direct my attention.I will bring my GPS on my next flight if permitted by the airlines. Thanks for the info.

same here, i wanna see the altitude, speed, and such while in flight, just for kicks

As an addendum, the x-ray TSA guys really don't like bean bag mounts in carry-on bags. I suspect the density/shape is uncommon enough to make it difficult to identify.

Several years ago the only time my carry-on bag full of more electronic stuff than a Radio Scrap store was ever "wanded" was for a Garmin bean bag mount. TSA guy asked what was inside and I did not have a clue and said it was probably sand or beans and he let it go through without cutting in to it. I never carried it that way again. To this day I don't know what is inside it. The smaller Garmin rubber/sticky dash mount may be a better option for travel.

For travel use I carry a vent mount and in case the car has vents that it doesn't like I also carry a visor mount. I have a cloth pouch compliments of Continental Airlines (the one they give you with the smaller than travel sizes of toiletries for when you and your luggage are not in the same place that night :lol: ) that holds the mounts, power cord and 1/8" stereo cord to connect the headphone jack to any AUX input equipped car stereo. It is only a little larger than the trusty 660 in its travel case and fits in my carry on bag nicely.

I take the GPS with me at night but the rest sleeps peacefully in the console over night until it is time to go home.

The TSA has not given it a second look to date. I do find this a little strange since they can't all seem to get on on the same page on things like "put the shoes in the bin" or "don't put the shoes in the bin" and they do sometimes want to give a second look at the collection of cables I carry to connect my PC to the hotel eithernet or my demo equipment.

Unrelated to GPS but related to TSA, whenever I had to take my shoes and belt off I used to think "at least that idiot didn't put the explosives in his shorts :shock: "

:DI'm retired from the Air Force and occassionally travel on what's more commonly referred to as Military Hops on board U.S. military transport planes. I live in Okinawa, Japan and travel annually to Germany. It can take up to more than a week to get there but the adventure is what it's all about. As you may or may not know, there are very few windows on board cargo planes such as C-5's, C-17's, KC-10's, KC-135's, etc. In-flight entertainment does not exist unless you bring your own such as an iPod or DVD player. I've decided to try out my Garmin 400t (not even a vehicle Navi system) and it works like a charm. Like everyone else said here, you have to hold it up to a window in order for it to work. Now, this is entertainment especially the way I travel. I just mounted it on one of the windows and my fellow passengers watch in amazement! It records altitude, speed, average speed, max speed, ETA to destination, and even an awesome zoomable map showing our present postition. It resembles that of a commercial airline in-flight "air show". Even the aircraft commander and other flight crew personnel were amazed and none of them objected. My unit even displayed the local time as it changed by each time zone. It worked like a charm! Thanks for reading!

I take my hand held - Magellan Gold - on the plane and on cruise ships. I find it interesting to always know where I am. Also I enjoy know what route was taken to get there. It's cool to know exactly what city I'm flying over, or what island I'm cruising by. :D

First Post ~ If you all haven't tried your GPS on an airline yet, you may find you are in for a treat. I set my 265W for "off road", put on an "airline" vehicle and used the suction cup mount in the center of the window. It shows all kinds of interesting data including true air speed (500+ mph) altitude, ETA, etc. You do have to zoom out and go to 2D to see what's passing on the ground. Only problem was too much attention given from other passengers.

Well GPS doesn't really work most of the time in the air that's why airplanes don't use it. But you can still give it a try and get some data along the way if your device manages to connect with a few satellites. Various countries and airlines have different rules set in place so I would check them before bringing one to an aircraft.